Bucking toy horse



Oct. 16, 1928. 1,687,693

| s. PRATT BUCKING TOY HORSE Filed April 19, 1927 .Z. L9. raz' Patented Oct. 16, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LUCIUS S. PRATT, OF ROANOKE, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR O]? ONE-HALF Tb CARL I. STRUNCK, OF HENDERSONVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA.

IBUCKING, TQY HORSE.

Application filed April 19, 1927. Serial No. 184,876.

The invention relates to amusement devices or toys, particularly those of a type adapted to be ridden and capable of moving about over the ground, floor or other surface.

The principal object of the invention, generally stated, is to provide a species of hobby horse of such construction as to be capable of cally stated, is to provide a hobby horse having its feet provided with spring means operating to give a cushioning effect so that when the rider rears back and then plunges forwardly a bucking action will be produced, a somewhat similar movement being caused as the result of lateral movements, it being readily conceivable that after a short period of practice and experimentation the rider will be capable of substantially reproducing the gyrations and plunges of a buck-.

ing broncho.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toy device of this character which will be simple and inexpensive to manufacture, easy to operate and control, positive in action, efficient and durable in service, and a general improvement in the art.

\Vith the above and other objects and ad vantages in View, the invention preferably consists in the details of construction and the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which: I

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device.

Figure 2 is'a front elevation thereof, and Figure 3 1s a detail section through one of the feet.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates the body which may be of any ordinary or preferred size, shape and material but which is here represented as simulating a horse. This body has a head 2 and front and rear legs 3. Asuitable saddle 4 is mounted on the body and there is also provided a bridle 5 connected with the head in the usual manner and extending to a point adjacent the saddle so as to be conveniently grasped @by the rider. Mounted upon the opposite sides of the body in any desired manner are stirrups 6 which may be conveniently formed simply as angular brackets and which are so located and of1 such length as to support-the rider proper y.

The essential feature of the invention resides 1n the provision of spring means mounted on all of the feet for the purpose of producing a bouncing action when the ridercauses the horse to teeter or move sideways. While it is conceivable that this spring means might be constructed and arranged in one of several ways, I have here disclosed each foot 7 as equipped with a slidably mounted casing 8 capable of movmg longitudinally of the leg, separation of the casing with respect to the foot being prevented by the provision of inwardly extendng flanges 9 at the top of the casing coactmg with shoulders 10 at the juncture of the foot with the leg, it being clear that the foot is considerably larger than the leg. Interposed between the bottom of the casing and the foot is a suitable spring 11 here shown as of the helical type and this spring is preferably located within a recess 12 in the bottom of the foot so as to maintain it in the proper position. While there is probably no likelihood of the spring canting within the casing, I may, if necessary, provide an upstanding lug 13 or the like rising from the bottom of the casing and fitting within the lower end of the spring. Of course the construction is the same at all four feet, and they may be equipped with rubber or other pads 14 to avoid marring the floors if the device be used indoors, and to avoid slipping if used outdoors, the pads being securedin place by any desired means and having any desired shape of ground engaging surface.

In the use of the device, the rider takes his place upon the saddle 4 with his feet engaged upon the stirrups 6 and braces 0r steadies himself by means of the bridle 5. The rider then throws his weight alternately to the front and back and, if desired, to one side or the other in order to raise the feet from the ground or other surface in alternation. When downward pressure is brought to bear upon the feet it is clear that the s rings 11 will be compressed so that when t e movement is reversed these springs, tending to expand, will assist in the rocking or teetering movement of the horse in the other direction.

It is also apparent that the device may progress to a certain extent while the bucking action is taking place. After some practice it is clear that it will be possible to reproduce or simulate the movements of a living horse with considerable faithfulness so that the toy will be a source of great amusement and will, in addition, give beneficial exercise.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention 1t should of course be understood that I reserve the right to make all such changes in the actual details of construction as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. In a toy of the character described, a body having legs terminating in feet, the Ieet being formed of telescopic sections and containing cushioning means.

2. A device of the character described comprising a body formed. to represent an animal and having legs .terminatlng n feet, the feet being formed of relatively movable sections having spring cushion means interposed'therebetween and adapted to engage the flow or ground, the device being adapted to be ridden with the body serving as a seat, said cushion means acting to produce a bucking motion when the rider shifts his weight.

3. A device of the character described comprising a body having legs thereon terminating 1n enlargements, casing members slidably mounted upon said .enlargements, and spring means interposed between the bottom of each casing member and the undersurface of the enlargement therein.

4. A device of the character described comprising a body having legs thereon terminating in enlargements, casing members slidably mounted upon said enlargements, springlmeans inter osed between the bottom of eac casing mem r and the undersurface of the enlargement therein, and means for limitin movement of the casing member in one irection with respect to the enlargement.

5. In a toy of the character described, a body having 1e terminating in enlargements definin a utment shoulders, a casing member slida ly mounted upon each enlargement, means on the casing member cooperating with the shoulder for limiting relat1ve movement, and spring means interposed between the casing member and the bottom of the enlargement.

6. In a toy of the character described, a body having le s terminating in enlargements defining a utment shoulders, a casing member slidably mounted upon each enlargement, means on the casing member cooperating with the shoulder for limiting relative movement, and spring means interposed between the casing member and the bottom of the enlar ement, the enlargement being recessed to tbrm a socket receiving the upper end of the spring means.

7. In a toy bucking horse, a body having a head and front and rear legs, a saddle on the bod angular bracket members on the sides 0 the body constituting stirrups for supporting a rider, and coil s rings mounted at the ends of the legs and a apted to engage compressingly against a supporting surface whereby a resilient bucking action may be produced upon shifting the weight of the rider forwardly and rearwardly or laterally.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature.

'LUCIUS S. PRATT. 

